Patent Application
20240341453
The present invention relates generally to outdoor wildlife sporting equipment. Particularly, the present invention relates to methods and devices of transporting game meat in the wild.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,177, by Azamy, discloses a pouch for carrying temperature-sensitive products.
Korean patent document number 10-1493199, by Lee Gyu-in, published 2015 Feb. 13, discloses a backpack enabling a user to separate, carry, and take out objects according to the purpose of the objects in an easy manner.
Hunting helps balance wildlife populations with what the land can support, limits crop damage, and assists with disease management. When engaged in outdoor sporting activities on public land, hunting with appropriate licenses often involves traversing wilderness on foot, miles away from public access roads. Those who are concerned with respecting the continuity of life, or simply enjoy the taste of wild growth often prefer to collect the game meat instead of leaving it to spoil. Successful hunting trips then require terrestrial locomotion for carrying the game products back to these public access roads, often across many miles of difficult terrain.
The problem with the prior art designs is that by the time the outdoor explorer is done walking, the locomotion has caused all of the meat to settle to the bottom. As shown in
Additional objectives of the present invention include preventing spoilage, preserving quality, and reducing contamination. That is, when an animal is harvested, the meat is still warm and retains a significant amount of moisture. If this moisture is not allowed to escape, it creates an environment conducive to bacterial growth. Bacteria thrive in moist environments, and their proliferation can lead to spoilage of the meat.
The present invention prevents spoilage by employing breathable mesh, to facilitate air circulation. This airflow helps to evaporate excess moisture from the surface of the meat. As moisture evaporates, it carries away heat, which helps to cool the meat and slows down the growth of bacteria.
The present invention prevents spoilage by employing breathable mesh with increased airflow, to prevent the formation of ‘surface sweat.’ The formation of surface “sweat” on the meat can occur when moisture is trapped against the surface. The additional airflow helps to prevent the formation of surface sweat which reduces bacterial growth and decelerates spoilage.
The present invention preserves quality by employing breathable mesh with increased fluid flow. That is, trapped moisture in meat can lead to an undesirable condition known as “bone sour” or “gamey” flavor. This occurs when bacteria break down the meat and produce off-flavors and odors. The present inventive game bags prevent this by employing breathable mesh which allows moisture to escape, thus reducing the risk of off-flavors developing. Proper airflow also helps to maintain the natural texture of the meat. Without adequate ventilation, moisture can cause the meat to become overly soft or mushy, detracting from its quality.
The present invention reduces contamination by employing breathable mesh with increased airflow. The prior art continually moved towards fluid blocking materials mimicking plastic wrapping in grocery stores. However, in non-breathable bags or plastic wrapping, condensation can form on the inside surface when warm meat is placed inside a cooler or refrigerator. This condensation creates a humid environment that promotes bacterial growth. The present invention has gone in the opposite direction, using a breathable mesh with increased airflow. The breathable mesh prevents condensation buildup by allowing moisture to escape, thus reducing the risk of contamination. This is particularly important when storing meat for an extended period, such as during aging or long-distance transportation.
The breathability of the mesh holding and shaping the meat as it is held in the game wrap is essential for maintaining the freshness, quality, and safety of the meat by facilitating airflow, preventing moisture buildup, and reducing the risk of bacterial contamination and spoilage.
The present invention achieves these and other objectives by providing a game shaping device for transporting deboned game meat by outdoor sportsmen while hiking. The game shaping device has a wrapping system for wrapping the deboned game meat. The game shaping device also has a restraint system secured to the wrapping system capable of restraining and reinforcing a particular desired shape on the deboned game meat within the wrapping system. The wrapping system has a mesh capable of reducing spoilage, preserving quality, and reducing contamination of the deboned game meat during transportation.
The mesh of the game shaping device is made of high-duty yarn which defines apertures which in turn allow free-flowing air therethrough. Together, the apertures of the mesh combine so that the mesh has an overall open area of at least 30%.
The game shaping device may have an overall inverted upside-down triangular shape. This ensures that the weight of the deboned game meat is distributed more evenly along a shoulder section then along a lower back section of the outdoor sportsmen while hiking.
The present invention achieves the objectives stated and others by providing a shaping system for shaping deboned game meat. The shaping system may have a wrap enclosing the deboned game meat. The wrap may have a flexible heavy-duty mesh material with a ventilated construction. The wrap may be capable of wrapping around the deboned game meat vertically.
The shaping system may have a plurality of restraints secured to the wrap. The plurality of restraints may facilitate restraining and reinforcing a particular desired shape on the deboned game meat within the wrap.
The heavy-duty mesh material of the wrap may have a ventilated construction capable of reducing spoilage, preserving quality, and reducing contamination of the deboned game meat during transportation.
The heavy-duty mesh material may have heavy-duty yarn defining apertures. These apertures may allow free flowing air to travel from an outside of the heavy-duty mesh material to an inside of the heavy-duty mesh material. In some cases, the heavy-duty mesh material may have an overall open area of at least 30% due to the overall open area of the combined open area of these apertures.
The plurality of restraints may have a plurality of horizontal restraints capable of restraining the deboned game meat at different vertical positions. The plurality of horizontal restraints may facilitate restraining and reinforcing the particular desired shape on the deboned game meat within the wrap, such that a weight of the deboned game meat is distributed more along a shoulder section of an outdoor sportsmen, then along a lower back section of the outdoor sportsmen while hiking.
The plurality of restraints may have at least two vertical restraints capable of restraining the deboned game meat horizontally.
The plurality of restraints may have at least four horizontal restraints capable of restraining the deboned game meat vertically.
The plurality of restraints may have a first horizontal strap, a second horizontal strap, a third horizontal strap and a fourth horizontal strap. The plurality of restraints may have a first vertical distance, a second vertical distance, and a third vertical distance between these straps. The first vertical distance between the first horizontal strap and the second horizontal strap may be greater than the second vertical distance between the second horizontal strap and the third horizontal strap. The second vertical distance between the second horizontal strap and the third horizontal strap may be greater than the third vertical distance between the third horizontal strap and the fourth horizontal strap.
The plurality of restraints may have a plurality of horizontal restraints capable of restraining the deboned game meat vertically. A distance between each of the plurality of horizontal restraints may increases progressively from a bottommost strap of the plurality of horizontal restraints to a topmost strap of the plurality of horizontal restraints.
The game shaping device may have a loading configuration, a packing configuration, and a conveyance configuration. The loading configuration may have an open, flat configuration. The conveyance configuration may have a partially folded configuration, for enclosing the deboned game meat within a space defined by the mesh. The packing configuration may have a fully compact configuration.
The game shaping device may have reinforcement binding along an edge of the wrap. The game shaping device may have a vertical reinforcement secured along a middle portion of the wrap, capable of reinforcing the middle portion of the wrap. The game shaping device may have a vertical reinforcement secured along a side portion of the wrap, capable of reinforcing the side portion of the wrap.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is discussed with reference to
The game shaper 20 of the present invention is a device that is designed to be employed as part of a luggage transportation system 10 such as typical hiking or outdoor adventure backpacks. The game shaper 20 has a restraint system 30 which works to restrain and reinforce the game within a wrapping system 60 in a specifically desired shape.
The game shaper 30 has three configurations, a loading configuration which is flat and allows the game meat to be loaded onto the shaper, a packing configuration for easy storage while empty, and a final conveyance configuration in which the game meat is held for transportation.
The present inventive system and device has a restraint system 30 which is used to restrain and reinforce the shape of the game meat within the game shaper 20. The restraint system 30 employs horizontal straps, vertical straps 32, vertical reinforcements 40, and buckles 50. For each of the horizontal and vertical straps 32, a first portion 33 securely fastens the strap to the panel 22. A second portion 34 extends between the first portion 33 and a third portion 35. The third portion 35 engages with a buckle 50. A fourth portion 36 extends from the engaging third portion 35 to a fifth stopper portion 37. The fifth portion 37 ends in a stopper 39 which prevents the strap from disengaging entirely from the buckle 50. Each of these portions are continuous (not fixed length) portions, as the buckle may adjustably engage with the strap.
The buckle 50 is typically a g-hook buckle which is adjustably secured to the strap 32 along the engaging portion 35 through slits 55 in the main body 51. A middle bar 54 ensures that the buckle 50 is frictionally locked in place along the engaging portion 35 once the strap 32 is tightened. A hook 52 is capable of releasably engaging an opening 58 of a respective loop 56. Loops 56 are irreversibly secured via fastener 59 to the panel opposite the strap 32.
The vertical restraint straps 32 are typically between 60 and 20 inches long, between 40 and 22 inches long, and usually at least 26 inches long. In the transporting configuration, the vertical straps 32 are usually crisscrossed to connect, not with the loop directly vertically opposite, but instead, with the loop diagonally opposite. In one embodiment, the mouths 53 of the buckles are opposite one another, facing outward, such that the outwardly exerting force of the internal components pushes each buckle 50 towards the respective loop, thereby pushing each buckle to remain attached.
In some embodiments, the vertical restraint straps are placed along the top, directly opposite the two opposing loops. In other embodiments, the loops are placed further inwards, causing a more upside-down triangular shape to be formed, thereby further ensuring that the weight is carried more easily, along the shoulders, instead of along the lower back.
The vertical reinforcements 40 are typically between 75 and 20 inches long, between 40 and 25 inches long, and usually 31.5 inches long. The vertical reinforcements 40 are typically between 3 and.5 inches wide, between 2 and 1 inches wide, and usually at least 1.25 inches wide. In one embodiment having three vertical reinforcements 40, two of the vertical reinforcements have widths which are 1.25 inches wide, and one of the vertical reinforcements has a width of 1.75 inches wide.
In some embodiments, the lengths of the horizontal straps 70 are equivalent. In other embodiments, the lengths of the horizontal straps 70 are disparate. When the lengths are all equivalent, the horizontal straps 70 are typically between 50 and 5 inches long, between 30 and 10 inches long, and usually at least 12 inches long, and usually 13 inches long.
In some embodiments, the lengths of the horizontal straps 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 are disparate. When the lengths of the horizontal straps 70 are disparate, the length of the topmost strap 70 will be greater than the length of the next highest strap 72. The length of the second strap 72 will be greater than the length of the next highest strap 74. The length of the third strap 74 will be greater than the length of the next highest strap 76. The length of the second strap 76 will be greater than the length of the next highest strap 78. As otherwise stated, the lengths of the straps become progressively longer as the vertical position increases. In this way, the meat is forced into an upside-down triangular shape. This shifts the majority of the weight onto the shoulders for easier carrying while transporting.
In some embodiments, the vertical distances 71 between the horizontal straps 70 are equivalent. In some embodiments though, the vertical distances 71, 73, 75, 77 between the horizontal straps 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 are disparate. Preferably though, the vertical distances 71, 73, 75, 77 between the horizontal straps 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 increases progressively from the bottommost strap 78 to the topmost strap 10. That is, the vertical distance 77 between the horizontal straps 76, 78 at the bottom is closer than the vertical distance 71 between the horizontal straps 70, 72 at the top. Overall, the vertical distance progressively increases as the horizontal straps rise to the top of the product, ensuring the meat will not work its way between the bottommost straps.
Specifically, the length of the first vertical distance 71 between straps 70, 72 will be greater than the length of the next highest vertical distance 73 between straps 72, 74. The length of the second vertical distance 73 between straps 72, 74 will be greater than the length of the next highest vertical distance 75 between straps 74, 76. The length of the third vertical distance 75 between straps 74, 76 will be greater than the length of the next highest vertical distance 77 between straps 76, 78.
The wrapping system 60 has a main base 62 is preferably made of special flexible heavy-duty mesh material 64 with a ventilated construction. In order to meet the requirements of the present invention, the material 64 of the main base 62 needs to be heavy duty, machine washable, and breathable. Moisture resistant products are not recommended, in the past, inventors have thought that they provide some degree of protection from the surrounding environment, but they also reduce breathability of the material which is imperative for the purpose of this game shaper 20 as previously discussed herein. One exemplary material 64 with a ventilated construction would be a bright orange 100% polyester porthole mesh using heavy-duty, rugged yarns 66.
Further details of the wrapping system 60 are discussed with more particular reference to
In one embodiment, the size of the apertures 68w is typically about half the thread size 66w, whereas in other embodiments, the size of the apertures 68w and the size of the threads 66w have a similar aspect ratio. In another embodiment, the size of the apertures 58w is twice the thread size 66w. The thread size 66w could be between 6-0.5 mm, between 4-0.8 mm, or preferably, 1/16 inch (1.6 mm). The aperture size 68w could be between 10-1 mm, between 6-2 mm, or preferably, about 0.13 inch (3.2 mm). The mesh count 67c is the number of apertures per inch and could be between 8-1, between 6-2, or more preferably, a mesh count 67c of 4. This results in having an overall open area, i.e., amount of panel that allows free-flowing air through, of between 30%-80%, preferably between 40% to 75%, and usually 50%.
In some embodiments, additional reinforcement binding 69 is provided along the edges of the base 62. In some embodiments, this binding is made of a high quality nylon ribbon that will not fray, resists tearing, and reinforces the overall strength of the base panel 62. One preferable binding is black grosgrain ribbon that is preferably between 3 and ½ inches, between 2.5 and 0.75 inches, and about 1 inch.
In some embodiments, a bottom shelf 80 is affixed to the bottom portion of the base 62. In the embodiment shown, the bottom shelf is a trapezoid with dimensions of a first width of 30 inches, a second width of 20 inches, and a length of 0.75 inch. The fabric for making the shelf 80 is preferably a heavy duty, high density tough fabric, such as a 400-denier, high-density, coated-packcloth, black, nylon fabric.
The present system overcomes the problems of the prior art through the features previously discussed. Also alluded to are the three different configurations that the shaping system can have. The loading configuration is open and allows the game meat to be loaded onto the shaper, as shown in
Specifically, for storage and packing before use, the game shaper can roll up as shown in
As previously discussed, one of the present invention's objectives is to alleviate the “blobbing” issues that hunters face after harvesting a large game animal several miles from the camp or truck. When hiking several miles, most hunters will remove the bones from the meat to reduce weight. After removing the bone from the meat, there is nothing to hold the shape of the meat so when it is placed inside a game bag, it simply “blobs” to the bottom placing all of the weight on the lower back when it is strapped to a backpack used for hauling it back to camp/truck.
This testing event once again showed how much prior art bags tend to blob during hiking. In this testing event, the depth 8D of the bottom 8 of the bag 6 became twice the size of the depth 7D of the top 7 of the bag 6. While hunting bags 4 have horizontal straps 5, because these straps necessarily attach to the bag, and have to address the material of the entire bag 6, these straps 5 are incapable of providing sufficient restraint to prevent settling of the game meat within the bag 6. That is, even though the meat was evenly distributed initially, jostling while hiking caused the meat to settle more with each passing moment, until eventually, the bag resembled a pyramid more than the rectangular shape that the meat was initially packed in.
This prior art bag 6, like other prior art bags was formed of solid materials that kept in moisture and caused increased condensation which created a humid environment that promoted bacterial growth.
The present invention has gone in the opposite direction, using a wrapping system 60 that has a breathable mesh 67 with increased airflow as illustrated in
Again, this was possible because the restraint system 30 (including horizontal reinforcements 32, vertical reinforcements 40 on sides and back, and the reinforced bottom shelf 80) of the present invention allowed the restraint straps 32, 70 to be tightened around the game meat, creating a preferred shape for the hunter as he carried the meat out on his backpack 4.
Some embodiments employ a reverse triangular shape as most of the weight should be around the shoulder blade area for the best comfort. To facilitate this, the buckles 50 of the restraint system 30 attach at the opposite sides 24, 26 and top to bottom 22, 28 via respective small loops 56 to restrain the meat in the preferred shape. The straps 70 are closer together towards the bottom 28 and progressively spread out as the straps rise to the top of the product ensuring the meat will not work its way between the bottom straps.
As previously discussed, the wrapping system 60 of the present invention 20 employs mesh 67 which has apertures 68 to allow for ventilation to ensure the meat does not overheat and spoil during transportation. Another benefit of the wrapping system 60 interacting with the adjustable straps is that it is possible to adjust the size of the shaper 20 in the game carrying configuration. The straps may close for a first size for lager game meat portions, and then pulling the straps tighter for smaller game meat sizes.
For smaller animals (up to 350 lbs) the straps can be wrapped further around the outside an additional 10″ to allow the game shaper to wrap around any sized meat load. However, although not believed to be necessary, it is within the scope of the invention to employ alternative sizes for alternatively sized game animals. With the shape and materials remaining the same, the size could vary correspondingly, as much as 30% to 50%.
The following reference numbers are adhered to within the specification to refer to those referenced elements within the drawings of the present application.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Further modification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
